On September 28, 2012, the Competition Bureau published its September In Brief newsletter, which includes recent announcements of the appointment of John Pecman as Interim Commissioner of Competition, publication of the Bureau’s final Abuse of Dominance Guidelines, commencement of its new misleading advertising suit against Bell, Rogers and TELUS and update on its abuse of dominance challenge against Canada’s largest real estate board, The Toronto Real Estate Board (TREB).
The Bureau also announced a joint Internet fraud sweep together with members of ICPEN (the International Consumer Protection and Enforcement Network), which targeted deceptive and fraudulent advertising in the “rapidly growing online and mobile markets.” In making the announcement, the Bureau indicated that it was focused on undisclosed fees and hidden terms (themes consistent with its recent challenge of Bell/Rogers/TELUS – see: here):
“This year, the annual sweep was designed to identify vendors who do not properly disclose the terms of online and mobile transactions that can result in consumers facing recurring charges, usage fees and contract terms that they did not intend to accept. Consumer protection agencies worldwide participated in the initiative aiming to increase consumers’ confidence in online transactions by improving their ability to make informed purchasing decisions. The results of the ICPEN sweep will be analyzed and follow-up enforcement action will be taken, as necessary.”
For a copy of the Bureau’s new newsletter see: CB in Brief – The Competition Bureau’s Month in Review.
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